Courtin' Trouble

by xInspiredxOptimismx

Celestia Risin'

Applejack stood, waiting patiently. Did she expect them to be on time? Of course not. This was going to be easy. Both would fail to show and she'd get back to her farm work. Simple as that.

The first rays of light were starting as Luna lowered the Moon and Celestia brought the sun. A small, semi-proud smirk formed on the honest pony's lips.

One more minute. They had ONE minute.

But, what was that on the horizon? Was that ...?

"Trenderhoof! Flim!" She stared in amazement as the two colts rushed up, stopping just short of running her down. Both had heavy dark bags under their eyes. She was certain for Trenderhoof this was not his first early morning. He seemed tired, but peppy and fresh. She figured with deadlines and such, he probably was use to late nights and early mornings.

Flim, however, looked as though he had never been up this early in his life. He was swaying, and honestly looked a bit cranky. He gave off a heavy yawn.

She had figured Rarity wouldn't alert him to the early morning. Oh well, she was a good girl to at least give the boy a fighting chance.

"A ... Apple ... Applejack ..." Flim yawned, rubbing at his eyes with his hoof. His hat sat on his head, askew on the white and red hair. "M-may I ask something before the day starts?"

"Not now." She said. Time to put the boys through their paces! "Ain't no time for chattin' or questions now. Ya'll wanna court me, right?"

Both nodded.

"If ya'll plan to marry me, then ya gotta be ready for some hard work. I ain't leavin' Sweet Apple Acres for no pony, and my husband best be prepared to work the farm to."

Again they nodded.

"Alright. First off, we gotta feed the pigs, corral the sheep, all that stuff. After that, we gotta go make breakfast for the family. Big Mac is already awake and workin' out there. Ya'll will be helpin' him. Apple Bloom - since she's so young - an' Granny Smith - since she's so old - sleep in. We gotta have the pigs and such taken care of BEFORE we make breakfast, and we gotta have breakfast ready before they get up. Got it? Gettin' here was yer first test."

More nods, and another yawn from Flim.

"Ya next test is finishin' everythin' to Big Mac's satisfaction before six thirty. If ya ain't in the kitchen ready to make breakfast, OR if Big Mac tells me ya'll ain't worked the hardest ya can, ya can move along. I don't need no lazy colt on the farm."

Both colt's nodded. Flim sighed inwardly. Great. Big Mac didn't like him much, and he knew he'd be gunning for Trenderhoof, since Rarity was soooooo in love with him. If he wanted this plan to work, he had to at least get past these stupid tests. If he could get time alone with Applejack ... he was certain he could sweep the simple country pony off her feet.

"Get to it!" She said, trotting off to do her own chores. If Flim made it through, Applejack would honestly have to rethink her opinion of him.

The two colts followed after Big Mac. "Sheep." He motioned to Trenderhoof. "Pigs" He motioned to Flim.

"Of course ..." Flim muttered.

Trenderhoof smiled and paused before the group of sheep. "Hello. I'll have you know my sweater is made of one hundred percent sheep wool. I love how it feels! You all do such amazing work!"

"Baaa ... You don't have to suck up, ya know." One responded, earning a little bit of a stare from Trend.

"S-Sorry! I didn't mean to offend. Just saying."

"If you want to, BAAAA, win Applejack, flattery won't get you anywhere. She doesn't respond to that. Its honesty. Be honest with her and yourself."

"Thats what Rarity said! Could ... Do you mind if I ask you to move on into the pen there? I want to help Big Mac finish with his chores."

"No trouble." The sheep moved, entering the enclosure and allowing the gate to be shut. "Thank you!"

A bit of a ways away, Flim was sitting in a puddle of mud situated between two pigs, an obvious look of displeasure on his face. "... I hate farms." He muttered, moving to stand up. He shook himself off, looking around frantically for his hat. "Great! I need that hat!" He began to dig in the mud, only to hear a small chuckle from beside the fence.

He looked up to see Trenderhoof, standing and watching him. "Need some help?"

"No!" Flim snapped.

"Come on. If I help you, we'll both get there in time for breakfast. You might be my competition, but that doesn't mean we can't help each other out. May the best colt win, right?"

"... Don't you have your own job to do, pretty boy?"

"Finished. Its not that hard. You just have to know how to handle them. What are you trying to do exactly? Feed them your hat?"

"No. I went to fill the bins and they charged forward. They knocked into the fence and I fell over it into the mud."

"No, are you trying to feed them your hat. Because that one over there is eating it."

"WHAT?!"

While Flim wrestled with the pig for the return of a half eaten hat, Trenderhoof filled the bins with bruised apples and a few other things to eat. By the time Flim looked up, his chore was done, and he was covered in mud.

But, he did have half of his hat back. Slowly he placed it onto his head, mud dripping out of it and down his hair and face.

"I really hate farms ..."

---

The three colts headed for the house. Big Mac was debating on what to say. Trenderhoof had done both jobs, technically. But ... the jobs were done. And Flim HAD tried ...

"So, whats for breakfast?" Flim asked as they entered the kitchen. He had expected to be greeted by the smells of fresh cobbler or some oats cooking.

Instead, he was greeted with Applejack just then entering the kitchen. Her left cheek was smudged with mud, and her normally tied back mane and tail were loose and free.

Flim and Trenderhoof stared at her for a moment, both with mouths agape.

Applejack shook her mane loose and smiled. "Sorry, boys. Hope ya'll weren't expectin' ME to have breakfast ready. I had my own chores to get done. On the farm everyone does their part. If Big Mac had gotten here first he would have started breakfast. If I got back here first I would have. And sometimes Applebloom even wakes up early to make it. A farm is about teamwork. How'd the boys do, Big Mac? Do they pass the hard work test?"

Big Mac frowned a second. Well, teamwork had been involved ... "Eeyup."

"Alright. Then, lets let them handle breakfast. Ya go get Apple Bloom up and I'll get Granny up. Boys, ya got breakfast covered?"

They were both still staring at her. For Trenderhoof, she had always been beautiful like this. Hard work showing on her in every way. The smudge of dirt ... it added charm. Her loose hair? It made her seem free.

For Flim, he was just now noticing that Applejack WAS quite lovely in her own backwoods way. Were those freckles? Did she have freckles? Had she always had those? Yes? Well, at least when his plan worked out he wouldn't be saddled with an UGLY bride.

However, both colts nodded, and went to prepare things. This was going to be interesting.